Innovation / Video

Tokyo’s Modernization Was Fueled by This Disastrous Earthquake

In 1923, Tokyo lay in ruins after the devastation of the Great Kanto Earthquake. Just seven years later, it was a city reborn: from the iconic Ginza shopping center to …

This Aircraft Carrier Cannon Fires 4,500 Rounds a Minute

The Sea Wiz is the affectionate nickname given to a 20mm Vulcan Cannon on board the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier. It fires 4,500 rounds a minute, can hit …

This Lighthouse Made Sailing Into San Francisco Bay Safer

With heavy fog and windy conditions, sailing into San Francisco Bay has long been a hazardous affair. Then, in 1870, things got a lot safer with the construction of the …

The Intricate Skill That Goes Into Landing a Fighter Jet

Landing on an aircraft carrier’s 300-feet runway seems like an impossible task. To slow down the landing plane, a series of arresting wires catch the jet’s wheels and help bring …

Space Needle Was Designed to Look Very Different

While it’s hard to imagine Seattle’s Space Needle looking any other way, few people know that the iconic ‘flying saucer’ design wasn’t the original choice.

Window Cleaning One of Chicago’s Tallest Buildings

Chicago, home to some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, throws some pretty unusual challenges at its daring window cleaners. From heavy winds and rough weather, to falcons nesting …

Why Las Vegas’s Landscape Is So Lush and Green

One of the most important byproducts of the Hoover Dam is an artificial body of water known as Lake Mead. Its presence has helped the population of Clark County grow …

This Is How MINI JCW Turbo Engines Are Built

The John Cooper Works edition is the fastest machine MINI has ever built. With a 228 two-liter twin turbo motor, it can hit 0 to 60 in six seconds flat …

Richard Branson Speaks on Plan for Space Tourism

Billionaire Richard Branson has set up Virgin Galactic as part of his dream to conquer the final frontier. But it’s also a bet that could land him at the forefront …

How Engineers Remove Unwanted Sounds from Camaros

With the Camaro, the sound engineers at Chevrolet have to satisfy two opposing teams: officials concerned about noise levels, and the diehard fans who want the Camaro to sound…well, like …

Here’s How a Turbo-Charged Porsche 911 Engine is Built

For over half a century, the Porsche 911 has been the poster child for high-performance sports cars. And with the recent addition of a turbo-charged engine, that dominance is set …

This Car Factory Assembles Camaros Every 35 Minutes

At the Lansing Grand River plant, where the Camaro is assembled, speed is the name of the game: it takes just 35 minutes for one vehicle to be fitted with …

Why Jaguar Uses Aerospace Aluminum to Build Its Cars

One big challenge facing Jaguar in its switch from steel to aluminum was how to utilize this lighter, less flexible alloy. For inspiration, they turned to an entirely new field: …

This Inventor Made the Famed D-Day Swimming Tanks

Without Nicholas Straussler, D-Day wouldn’t have been possible. He came up with the design for the Duplex Drives tanks - a key part of the initial invasion at Normandy.

Only 18 Alfa Romeo 4Cs Are Created Per Day. Here’s Why.

Producing the Alfa Romeo 4C supercar is a process that the automaker refuses to rush. The procedure is so labor intensive and time-consuming that a mere 18 cars are manufactured …

Why Building a Carbon Fiber Car Is So Labor-Intensive

To make the lightest possible sports car, Alfa Romeo knows it needs to build key components using carbon fiber. But it’s a complicated and extremely time-consuming process.

How Engine Placement Gives This Mercedes-AMG Its Edge

The secret to the high performance of the Mercedes-AMG is the placement of the front end engine: right behind the axle. This centralizes the bulk and improves the handling of …

Here’s How a Mercedes-AMG V8 Engine Is Built

Each Mercedes-AMG GT engine is put together by one person, not by an assembly line. In total, it takes that person 11 steps, and approximately three hours, to complete the …

These Men Risked Their Lives to Build 1920s New York Skyscrapers

The skyscrapers of Manhattan needed a new, bolder type of construction worker. They got them in ‘roughnecks’ – hardened men who worked without safety harnesses, hard hats or even bathroom …

How 9/11 Drastically Altered U.S. Flight Security

Two months after the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. government created the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA. All the laws and protocols governing U.S. flight safety were about to change forever.

Yes, Putting an Emergency Oxygen Mask on First Is Vital

Investigators looking into the October 25, 1999 crash of Learjet 35 were faced with a puzzling question: If the supplemental oxygen was working, why didn’t the crew use their masks …

This New Zealand Farmer Revolutionized Modern Planes

In the early 1900s, a New Zealand farmer named Richard Pearse built what looked like a flying bicycle. Some of the ideas he developed are now standard in modern aviation.

Inventing the Jet Engine Came With a Few Disasters

The invention of the jet engine was the crowning achievement of engineer Frank Whittle. But the path to glory was littered with countless obstacles - including a number of spectacularly …

Footage of the First Martin-Baker Ejection Seat Test

Bernard Lynch was an engineer fitter at British aviation firm Martin-Baker. But his main claim to fame was as the fearless test subject for their signature invention: the ejection seat.

Malala Yousafzai’s Message To Marley

Malala Yousafzai’s Message To Marley

The Deadly Secret Kept From the Titanic’s Passengers

The Titanic was specifically constructed to survive a high-impact collision like the one that sunk her. So how did the ship’s naval architects end up being so wrong?

One of the Worst Man-Made Disasters in History

Residents of the valley of Vajont in Italy had reservations about a new hydroelectric dam—especially when cracks began to appear in the nearby mountain. Their worst fears were soon to …

A Routine Landing Turns Into Every Pilot’s Nightmare

On April 5, 1991, Atlantic Southeast Airlines Flight 2311 was making a routine landing. Suddenly, the plane tilts dangerously to the left and the pilots lose control.

Experts Assess Why This Plane Fell Off a Cliff

On October 10, 2006, Atlantic Airways Flight 670 overran the runway at Stord Airport in Norway, and careened off a nearby cliff. At first, investigators suspect a wet runway - …

This Ex-Trapeze Artist Made Parachutes Safer

Toward the end of WWI, it became clear to the U.S. government that pilots needed parachutes to better save their lives. So, they set up a crack team to come …

This Pressure Suit Helped Pilots Survive New Heights

Aviation pioneer Wiley Post needed an oxygenated pressure suit to survive a high-altitude transcontinental flight. Enter engineer Russell Colley - who sews together the material for the suit on his …

How to Tell If You’re in for a Bumpy Plane Landing

On March 7, 2007, Garuda Flight 200 was preparing to land. An Air Force security officer on board immediately sensed a problem: The plane was both too high and too …